Sean Smith - Adele

HarperCollins Publishers

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First published by HarperCollins Publishers 2016

FIRST EDITION

Text © Sean Smith 2016, 2017

Cover layout design © HarperCollins Publishers 2016

Front cover photograph © Mike Marsland/WireImage/Getty Images

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Source ISBN: 9780008155612

Ebook Edition © November 2016 ISBN: 9780008155629

Version: 2017-03-16

Kim

Tom Jones: The Life

Kylie

Gary

Alesha

Tulisa

Kate

Robbie

Cheryl

Victoria

Justin: The Biography

Britney: The Biography

J. K. Rowling: A Biography

Jennifer: The Unauthorized Biography

Royal Racing

The Union Game

Sophie’s Kiss (with Garth Gibbs)

Stone Me! (with Dale Lawrence)

To Michael and Anna

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Also by Sean Smith

Dedication

Introduction

Part One: When She Was Young

1 A Surprise Announcement

2 Spice World

3 The Miseducation of Adele Adkins

4 True Brit

5 Missing the Train

6 Daydreamer

Part Two: Sometimes It Hurts

7 XL Calling

8 Heartbreak Soul

9 Later … with Adele

10 Chasing the Dream

11 At Joe’s Pub

12 Early Life Crisis

13 En Vogue

Part Three: Feel My Love

14 The Guard Dog

15 Rolling With It

16 Vocal Discord

17 A Pregnant Pause

18 Skyfall

19 Hello Again

20 The Biggest Star on the Planet

Last Thoughts

Adele’s Stars

Life and Times

Acknowledgements

Select Bibliography

List of Searchable Terms

Picture Section

Also available by Sean Smith

About the Publisher

A picture of Adele’s immaculately made-up eyes, tightly closed, with a striking pair of false lashes, illuminates an enormous screen behind the stage. Suddenly, without warning, the lights go down and the eyes open wide, creating a maelstrom of excitement and cheering. The Adele roar shakes the foundations.

‘Hello … It’s me!’ And there she is, a formidable presence, six feet in heels. She appears not on the main stage, but on a small circular platform in the centre of the audience. 20,000 people are already on their feet. Her black silk Burberry gown is speckled with hand-woven floral sequins that are instantly lit by what seem like a million mobile phones as she launches into her iconic comeback song.

How did an ordinary girl from Tottenham inspire such adulation and acclaim, mixed with a generous helping of affection? My row is full of friendly and chatty Americans, who thought it would be ‘fun’ to fly over and see her, even though she will be touring the US throughout the year. I wonder idly if there is anyone from her old neighbourhood here tonight.

Everyone seems to know the words to ‘Hello’. It’s a wall of sound, but her voice is as big as ever, refusing to be overwhelmed by the backing music or our sing-along. The track has already broken so many records. The figures are mind-boggling in an age when there’s so much choice. I read that it topped the iTunes chart in 102 countries when it was released in November 2015. I can’t name 102 countries! The problem with this song is that it will always have to be the first number at her concerts. ‘Hello’ seems a bit ridiculous as an encore anthem.

She is flanked by her security as she walks to the main stage and launches into ‘Hometown Glory’. The picture of her Dusty Springfield eyes on the big screen gives way to photographs of London. It’s a simple song, the first she ever completed, aged sixteen, and powerful in its youthful underlying message of nostalgia and empowerment.

Before we can draw breath, the blockbuster beginning continues with ‘One and Only’, arguably the best track from the record-breaking album 21 . It’s smoky and soulful. Close your eyes and you can imagine one of the great divas of the past singing it in a jazz club … maybe Ella Fitzgerald or Sarah Vaughan or, best of all, Adele’s favourite singer, Etta James.

I’ve been listening to Etta a lot while I work on this book and her peerless recordings remind me so much of Adele. ‘Fool That I Am’ was on Adele’s set list when she started out, and part of me wishes it still was, but, for me, ‘One and Only’ carries the hallmark of Etta. Adele is one of those great artists who carry their influences around with them like a favourite handbag.

She needs to pause after three power songs in a row. She takes a swig from a mug containing a honey drink to soothe her voice, and starts to engage her audience in that natural, easy manner she has. It’s as if you were standing next to her in a checkout queue at Asda – although I suspect she shops at Waitrose these days.

Banter and interaction with the fans have become a feature of this tour. She started off in Belfast helping a female fan make a leap-year marriage proposal to her boyfriend. Unsurprisingly, he said yes and the story went round the world. In Manchester, she invited a twelve-year-old girl with autism to come on stage and sing ‘Someone Like You’. She was brilliant.

Tonight she invites two little girls, aged seven and eight, on to the stage and has to apologise for using the F-word. I can’t think of another star who does this. Later she asks a girl celebrating her sixteenth birthday to join her to sing a duet of the Bob Dylan classic ‘Make You Feel My Love’ from the 19 album. Adele is gracious, ‘It was really lovely to share that with you. Well done.’ This is the first time I personally have seen Adele duet.

As she says later, this is a show and not just a gig. In some ways, it’s old-fashioned entertainment, like a summertime holiday special on Great Yarmouth pier starring the late Paul Daniels, or perhaps a Christmas pantomime in which the much-missed Cilla Black would continually chat to the audience. I can imagine Adele asking us what she should do with one of her ghastly ex-boyfriends. ‘Feed him to the crocodile,’ we would shout.